Central team to submit report in next four days

MANDYA/ MYSORE: A central team headed by chief engineer KC Jacob, which is here to assess the ground realities in the Cauvery basin, said the team will submit its report in the next four days after getting the views of the Karnataka government on the Cauvery water sharing issue.

In a brief interaction with the media at the Krishnarajasagar reservoir, Jacob said they will study the situation in the delta areas to assess the actual situation before holding talks with the state government. "Our comprehensive report would include all statistics and ground realities both in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," he added.

On ground, they made an on-the-spot assessment of standing crops at Paaripura on Mysore-Mandya border. The team ventured into paddy fields and asked farmers when they started cultivation and when the crop would be harvested. They also interacted with the officials of the water resources department seeking details like the rain pattern in last three years, arable land, how much is under cultivation and when the crops will be harvested.

The team also toured Mahadevapura and Mandya Koppal before they reached KRS dam. The officials apprised the team of the dependence of people on water at the KRS for drinking and irrigation needs. "There is little over 21 tmcft left at the KRS and people here are highly dependent on it till the next summer," officials told the team to drive home the point that there is gap between demand and availability.

The central team's report is crucial since it will be a tool for the PM-headed Cauvery River Authority (CRA) to assess the situation to decide the outflow after October 15.

The team will continue to assess the situation in areas dependent on Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathy dam on Saturday taking the aerial route. It will sit down at Bangalore on Sunday to assess and collate the details. The members are scheduled to get back to Delhi on Monday.

Meanwhile, former CM HD Kumaraswamy and MP N Cheluvarayaswamy met the team and submitted a report. Kumaraswamy apprised the members about prevailing drought situation and possible water scarcity in Cauvery basin districts. He pleaded with them to submit 'factual' reports as it would help the state effectively counter Tamil Nadu's plea to release more Cauvery water.

He argued that the present storage of water in Krishnarajasagar reservoir that is less than 20 tmcft is not enough to meet the drinking water requirements of Bangalore, Mysore and Mandya cities.